That Was Then, This Is Now
by The Princesses of Tennis
Summary: They're short. They're American. THEY'RE BLONDE! This dastardly duo, known in the music world as 'Plush Nightmare', has returned to Japan after eight years, seeking out old friends and new companions. Various pairings.


Author's note— HALLO!!! Shia and Maileiko here! Hahaha, okay, I'll make the announcement here. If you don't like:

--- Partial Mary sues

--- OCs

Then you should probably not read this. Yep, yep, I just want to be honest. We really try to write insane, funny stories, and still keep a plot, but I don't want to delude anyone. Anyway! Read on and review, please!

Disclaimer- Ode to Gravitation! For shame that I do not ownest thee! (Sorry, just wanted to try at Shakespeare here. I'll stop… -Tear-)

"Coin operated boy, sitting on a shelf; he is just a toy, but I turn him on and he comes to life, automatic joy. That is why I want a coin operated boy." The melodious words were paused for a moment as a hard keyboard played. "Made of plastic and elastic, he is rugged and long lasting. Who could ever, ever ask for more? Love without complications galore!" A little more piano, "Many shapes and weights to choose from, I will never leave my bedroom. I will never cry at night again! Wrap my arms around him and pretend!

"Coin operated boy; all the other real ones that I destroy, cannot hold a candle to my new boy and I'll never let him go. And I'll never be alone. And I'll never let him go, and I'll never be alone. Go, and I'll never be alone. Go, and I'll never be alone. Go, and I'll never be alone. Go, and I'll never be alone; not with my coin operated boy.

"This bridge was written to make you feel smitten. With my sad picture of girl getting bitter. Or can you extract me from my plastic fantasy? I didn't think so, but I'm still convincible. Will you persist even after I've bet you a billion dollars that I'll never love you? And will you persist even after I've kissed you 'Goodbye' for the last time? Will you keep on trying?"

In the hallway, Tohma's ears perked up, but then he shook his head, "Couldn't be…" Still…

"To prove it, I'm dying. To lose it, I'm losing!" It had to be! He burst into the recording booth and looked through the glass. Ryuchi and K were right behind him with giant smiles just listening to the lovely music coming in on the intercoms, and now from the recording booth. Two blonde girls, with headphones on, connecting to the sound system above, where inside the both, both singing while one played a guitar and the other a piano. The two voices continued, "My confidence, I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want to! I want to! I want to! I want to! I want you! I want you! I want you! I want you! I want a … I.. Want.. A… I… Want… A… I…. Want…. A… Coin operated boy." A loud gasp escaped the girls' throats, and the music continued. The girl with the guitar opened her eyes for a moment and noticed Tohma watching. She glanced back at her partner and sighed, before walking out, quietly closing the door behind her, the second girl not having noticed at all that she was being left.

"Tohma-kun," she said, "I didn't expect to be seeing you so soon."

"I didn't expect to be seeing you at all, Shia-san," he continued to observe the girl through the glass window, a careless smile on her face. "Well, her focus hasn't changed at all…"

"Tohma, you know them?" Ryu asked with a happy-go-lucky grin, his pink bunny in his arms. K looked from the girl in the room to the girl in the recording booth, a slight since of recognition racing through his mind.

"She's gonna' be really surprised to see you here, Tohma… Oh, and don't worry about her, she'll finish the song. Or at least die trying…" She chuckled behind her hand.

In the booth, the girl continued running her fingers over the precise keys, "If I had a star to wish on, for my life I can't imagine any flesh and blood could be his match. I can even take him in the bath." A squeaky duck toy was flashed in, "Coin operated boy, he may not be real experienced with girls, but I know he feels, like a boy should feel. Isn't that the point? That is what I want, a coin operated boy, with a pretty coin operated voice. Saying that he loves me, that he's thinking of me… Straight to the point, that is what I want, a coin operated boy…" she finished with light pounds onto the piano keys.

"Ahh! Satisfaction! Satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back! Ha ha!" she laughed, opening her eyes to see that she was all alone… "I've been playing alone all this time?! How long was 'all this time'?!" She barged into the room with a pout across her face.

Shia chuckled, as the other girl automatically looked to her with glaring eyes, "Now, now… Don't be too hasty to blame, Maileiko." She smirked, "It was all Tohma's fault." She pointed to the blonde haired president. "By the way…" She slowly turned her head all the way around with an evil smile, facing K. "I want to see pictures of my nephew… How is his mental state? Is he turning out to be normal, unlike you? You know, if you and your wife didn't get into so many dammed arguments and gets so many separations then maybe he would be doing fine!" She began picking up random objects and throwing them at K.

As the two siblings argued and fought, Maileiko and Tohma stared at one another, looks of shock, confusion, curiosity, and pain all together. And as for Ryu, he was left alone to talk to his bunny…

"I'm this close," signifying an inch between her thumb and index finger, "of just stealing him and raising him on my own." Shia stated with a piercing glare.

"Maileiko…" Tohma took a step towards the longhaired blonde, the same expression as before playing across his face. Maileiko stood, glued to her spot, not showing any sign of indifference or anything, besides the same expression that remained on her face.

As Tohma was only three steps away from coming in body contact with Maileiko, she suddenly turns and goes up to the wall, placing herself face forward on it, "The wall says it's cold." She chuckled nervously. It suddenly went quiet.

"A cold wall…? That just won't do! Turn up the heaters!" Shia demanded of an imaginary figure.

Just then, out of nowhere, or perhaps through the door, a tall American adult 'figure' appeared. "Have you guys ever heard the story of the pirate and the brown pants?"

"NO!" They all shouted at the man.

"Aww... You guys are no fun… Well, anyway, there was this pirate ship, and one day-"

"SHUDUP!" The two girls shouted. "Oh, and by the way, this is our manager, Chris Allen." Everyone had a look of understanding, like 'ohhh'… "Before becoming our manager, like eight years ago, he was working for Gwen Stafani."

"Yup, she had the hots for me. But, since I knew it would never work out between the two of us, I had to break it off. And if you listen really closely to her new record label song, "Holla' Back Girl", you can hear her say 'I ain't no Holla' back girl! I love you, Chris Allen…'" He said with a proud smile. The two girls had to try and contain their laughter.

"Are you sure it's at that point in the song? Or is it 'Chris Allen, is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S!'" K commented, with a chuckle. Shia and Maileiko couldn't hold it in any longer; they burst into a fit of laughter.

Shia then went back to arguing with her brother as Allen-sensei fought desperately to pull them apart, and keep them from most likely killing one another. Ryu decided that he would go up to Maileiko and introduce himself, "Hello! I'm Ryuichi Sakuma! And this is Kumigoro!" He held up his pink bunny, the sweetest and happiest smile ever.

Maileiko smiled sincerely, "It's a pleasure. I was really looking forward to meeting you, Ryu." She gave a slight giggle, "you too, Kumigoro."

Tohma was busing himself, listening over the recorded song that the two girls had just performed, quite pleased with the outcome. He turned around to see what Maileiko was up to, finding her and Ryu chatting away and having a good time. _'Maileiko… What happened between the two of us…?'_ He then noticed that Shia and K were making a mess of the studio, "If the two of you want to make a ruckus, go someplace else." He demanded, with a more harsh and cold voice than ever before.

"Are you alright, Tohma-san?" Ryu asked, his eyes wide and chibi-like. Tohma snapped out of the piercing glare that he was giving to no one in particular. He placed his hand up to his forehead, under his bangs, holding his head still as he began to slowly get dizzy. He shook his head slightly, trying to get a better focus on the things around him.

'_Tohma… I'm so sorry for all those years ago…'_ Maileiko thought morbidly, watching as Tohma tried to steady himself. Next thing she knew, she was standing by him, helping him as a support. She looked up to Shia with curious eyes, as if to ask her how she ended up there, but Shia only returned the look. Shia went to Tohma's other side to help support him, also.

"Hey, Tohma-kun, you okay?" Shia asked, stumbling a bit. Maileiko was trying to hold up Tohma and hike up her pants in the back at the same time, making it harder on Shia. Shia then, by mistake let go of Tohma and made Maileiko lose her balance, in turn, making her fall over along with Tohma.

"Opps… Ha ha!" Shia laughed at the sight before her eyes, _'It looks just like old times!'_ She continued to laugh, seeing Tohma lying there with his arm over Maileiko. All Maileiko could do was keep an expressionless face.

"Maileiko-san! Tohma-san! Are you two alright?" Ryu went up to the two lying on the ground.

"You know, Shia, we would NEVER be in this predicament if it weren't for you…" Maileiko glared coldly at her best friend who just stood and laughed at the matter.

"Fine, fine… But I just figured that it was just like old times." She smiled slyly and chuckled a bit more.

"Tohma, are you okay?" Maileiko questioned with a worried look.

"Hey, you okay, Tohma-kun?" Shia mimicked.

All the others slowly followed suit. Tohma nodded with a slight smile. "I guess I'm still in shock that the two of you are here!" He laughed, but Shia, Maileiko, and Ryuichi could tell how fake it was.

"Tohma," Maileiko sighed, her eyes clouded with a pain no one could understand. Shia knew that she couldn't let this go on.

"Well, Tohma-kun," She said, putting on a smiling mask, literally, "If you're alright, we were going to go see the infamous Bad Luck's practice session." Maileiko shot her a curious glance; they hadn't been going there at all.

"Actually!" Ryu said, excited, "That's where we were headed too! K is their manager!"

"Really? You can actually do something _right, _Ni-san?" Shia said skeptically. Maileiko smiled as she realized that Shia was trying to lighten the mood.

"Why don't we go then?" Ryu asked, and held out a hand to help Maileiko up as Tohma got up by himself. Maileiko took his outstretched hand, a smile on her face.


End file.
